Ultimate Guide to The Senate House

Thinking of visiting The Senate House? As a result Footprints Tours have put together the Ultimate Guide to help you with your visit!

The Senate House is one of Footprints Tours’ favourite buildings, since it’s where most of us were awarded our degrees! It was originally designed by architect James Gibbs in 1722, in a distinctive neo-classical style, using stone from the Isle of Portland in Dorset. The building was officially opened in 1730, however the construction of the western end continued until 1768.

The Senate House is the ceremonial centre of Cambridge University. In other words it’s where all the fancy stuff happens: our exam results are published on the back of the Senate House each year and it’s also where we get awarded our degrees. And those ceremonies are rather memorable with plenty of peculiar ceremonial detail:

• Students proceed to Senate House from their colleges in a specific order.
• The entire ceremony goes on in Latin, which adds quite a bit of mystery to the proceedings.
• Students are presented to the gathered by the praelector, who is the master of ceremonies and a fellow of the given college.
• Degrees are symbolically bestowed upon students by a senior member of the university, while the graduand kneels in front of them.

As a result of this weird ceremony we officially become an honourable graduate of Cambridge University! A wonderful tradition, steeped in historical significance…immediately followed by heading to the pub.

Unfortunately The Senate House isn’t open to the public, but you can hear all about it on our University & City Walking Tour!

Opening Hours: Every day 9am-6pm (closed to the public)

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